Which football team does God support?

At the weekend I was watching Premier League football on TV with my son who was passionately supporting his team as they battled one of their biggest rivals on the pitch. Now personally, I am indifferent at best when it comes to football, but I am passionate about my son, and so whilst watching football wasn’t my top choice of how to spend the weekend, spending time with my son was.

While we watched together, he was trying to convince me of its merits using his best persuasion skills: “You should support football too mum because… because God does!” (he knows me well!) As silly as it sounded (and he knew it!) This actually opened a great conversation about whether God does in fact support football, and if so, which team does he support? Does God have a favourite? And if so, does that mean they’d always win?

if you care about football, you can be sure that God cares about it with you

In case your family also has these sorts of whacky theological conversations, then here is how we figured it out. I hope it helps your football loving kids think deeply about God too!

Does God support football?

All through scripture we see that God is passionate! He rejoices (Isaiah 62:5), he is jealous (Exodus 34:14), he gets angry (Psalm 18:7) and sad (John 11:35). In some ways that’s just like many football fans!

Psalm 121:8 describes God watching us, whether we’re at home or away. He is faithful and committed to his people, never giving up or changing his allegiance (Deuteronomy 7:9). This is surely the very heart of what it means to be a true supporter.

In Zephaniah 3:17 we hear of God’s great delight in his people and how he even rejoices over them with singing - doesn’t that paint a brilliant picture of God cheering and chanting passionately in the stands watching over the people he loves?

So, is God’s team winning? Maybe. But there is a greater victory that we can look to in Jesus far greater than any football cup

But can we really say from Scripture that God supports football? 1 Peter 5:7 shows us that God isn’t indifferent to the things that we care about, he is invested, walking with us, carrying our burdens, and sharing in our celebrations and our sadness, just as he has called us to do with each other (Romans 12:15). God cares about the little details of our lives (Psalm 37:23), even things as frivolous as football, and he loves it when we speak to him about the things that we care about (Philippians 4:6-7).

So, if you care about football, you can be sure that God cares about it with you. Just like my reason for watching football on Sunday afternoon wasn’t because I care about football, it was because I care about my son who cares about football.

So who does God support?

Well, the point we’ve just made might leave us wondering if God supports the same team as me, simply because he loves me? Perhaps like I cheered along with my son when his team scored, not because they’re my team but because I love him and rejoice with him.

Scripture states a few times that God doesn’t have favourites (Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34, Colossians 3:25) but yet the Old Testament narrative shows God choosing one man and pouring his favour and blessing on him over and above any others (e.g. Abraham in Genesis 12, David in 1 Samuel 16, or even when Jesus chose his disciples in Luke 6:12-16).

So is the team at the top of the table the football team that God has been supporting, which is why they are winning?

1 John 4:19 highlights that God doesn’t choose who he supports based on performance, he doesn’t pick the team at the top of the league, he is instead more concerned with the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). In fact, he chooses who he loves before they are at all worth loving, it would be like God choosing a bunch of amateurs and then pouring out his abundant blessing on them so that they become lovable, skilled and successful. After all, isn’t that just what he has done throughout history, choosing people like you and me and welcoming us into his family. Choosing people like Moses the murderer, David the adulterer, Rahab the prostitute, Ruth the outcast, Peter the coward, and Paul the bully. God doesn’t look for perfect people; he perfects the people he chooses.

Would God’s team always win?

So is the team at the top of the table the football team that God has been supporting, which is why they are winning? There are more Bible verses than I have space to list here about how God will bless his people, those who trust him (proverbs 16:20) and who follow his way of living (Psalm 5:12). So, is a winning team enjoying the abundant blessing and support of God? Perhaps, but not necessarily, after all Jesus tells us that he does good things for non-believers too (Matt 5:45).

But surely a team that is praying would be more likely to win than one that is not, right? Would a team full of Christians be more likely to be successful than a team of unrepentant sinners?! Tim Bechervaise actually explored whether that might explain Crystal Palace’s surprising win at the FA Cup last summer, you can read his article here: (https://www.premierchristianity.com/sport/the-one-solid-rock-is-christ-the-christian-faith-of-the-crystal-palace-football-team/19434.article)

In John 14:13 Jesus tells his friends “you can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father”, which does sound a bit like a superpower for a Christian football team! But Jesus isn’t talking here about sports, he is talking about the ultimate victory for humanity to know him completely.

Read more:

Why can’t I see God?

Is the Bible just a fairy tale?

Notice also that the motivation for our prayer shouldn’t be for our favourite team’s glory, but for God’s glory. There are some brilliant Christian footballers who are doing this already, players like Eberechi Eze, Lionel Messi, and Michelle Agyemang who are quick to give God the glory to help others know God for themselves too.

Whilst it’s great to see Christians win in sports, success as our world would define it is not quite the same as success in God’s kingdom. Here we want to see the best team at the top of the table, winning all the games and scoring all the goals. But Jesus says “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-44). To be the best in God’s eyes is all about your heart. Greatness is found in humility (Matthew 18:4), not at the top of the league table.

So, is God’s team winning? Maybe. But there is a greater victory that we can look to in Jesus far greater than any football cup. As Paul explains it: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). The prize is not a champions trophy; it is to know God and be with him forever. That is a cause worth supporting!